Air Quality
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Air quality and odor control are very important issues on a hog farm. A farm that creates strong odors can damage community relations while air quality inside the barn can affect worker health, pig health and productivity. By properly managing the processes on your farm, you can help reduce odors having a negative impact on neighbors.
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Air Quality
- 1. Air Quality & Odor Control Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 2. Air quality Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 3. Air Quality Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 4. Sources of odor • Mortality • Spoiled feed • Manure build up in pits • Manure in pens • Dust Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 5. Mortality management to control odor • Mortality management plan • Remove within 24hrs • Dispose or collected within 24 hrs • Screen from public view Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control *State and local regulations must always be followed.
- 6. Feed • Spilled feed • Spoiled feed Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 7. Manure build up in pits Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 8. Dust control • Manure • Feed • Oil sprinkling Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 9. Ventilation overview Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 10. Mechanical ventilation • Look for and repair or correct: • Broken or missing fan louvers • Broken, slipping or loose fan belts • non-operational fan motors • Bearing noises • Excessive dust build up on blades, motors and louvers • Holes in curtains • Hot surface temps on fan motors (use an infrared thermometer) *Safety – keep fan guards in place Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 11. Natural ventilation • Look for and repair: • Curtain holes/damage • Circulation fans not working (in summer) Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 12. Signs of a well ventilated barn • Pen floors are dry • Low odor in the barn • Good air quality in the barn • Correct temperature ranges • Evenly distributed dunging patterns in open pens • Good animal health • Lack of negative pressures Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 13. Other methods of odor control • Filtration • Bio-filters • Chimneys • Windbreak walls • Landscaping • Diet manipulation & feed additives Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 14. Bio Filters Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 15. Chimneys Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 16. Wind break walls Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 17. Vegetative Environmental Buffer (VEB) Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 18. Diet & Feed Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
- 19. Keep the farm site clean and tidy. Conclusion Other methods of odor control Ventilation Sources of odor & management Air quality & odor control
Editor's Notes
- Air quality and odor control are very important issues on a hog farm. A farm that creates strong odors can damage community relations while air quality inside the barn can affect worker health, pig health and productivity. By properly managing the processes on your farm, you can help reduce odors having a negative impact on neighbors.
- The quality of the air inside the hog barn can affect worker health, pig health and productivity as well as having an impact on the environment outside the barn. The quality of the air is affected by gas and dust levels. These can be exhausted outside of the building by fans in mechanically ventilated barns or through the sides or tops of naturally ventilated systems. By properly managing the processes on your farm, you can help reduce odors having a negative impact on neighbors. Indicators of poor air quality include high ammonia levels which may cause watery or irritated eyes, excessive coughing of animals and caretakers, increased respiratory disease in the animals, decreased weight gain or areas of stagnant, humid air.
- Mortality, spoiled or decaying feed, manure build up in pits or pens and dust are all sources of odor on the hog farm. Effectively managing these sources and the ventilation air leaving the building can reduce the impact of odor emissions to the environment and the potential impact to neighbors.
- Although mortality is kept to a minimum with proper animal care, there will inevitably be a certain number of pigs that will die. To minimize odor, mortality should be removed from the barn as soon as possible after discovery and always within 24 hours. Use an animal cart for large animals to prevent back injuries. Remember to record all mortality. This will help you and your veterinarian determine how to manage the health of the herd and to quickly identify a serious disease outbreak. A mortality management plan describes the methods for disposal of dead animals in normal situations and contingency plans for when emergencies such as severe weather events or a serious disease outbreak occur. Follow these procedures to minimize odor according to the disposal method on your farm Composting: Maintain a complete cover of sawdust (or other bulking agent) of at least 1 foot thick. Protect compost piles from precipitation and run-on. Excessive moisture entering the compost can lengthen the composting time, cause odors and leachate run-off. Carcasses greater than 100 pounds should be punctured to prevent a build up of odorous gases and minimize space required in the composter. No odors should be generated if the compost process and procedures are followed. Burial: Burial involves digging a large trench in the ground that is filled with mortality. Many States restrict the use of this method. Where permitted, avoid siting burial trenches in areas where the water table is less than 5 feet. Puncture the abdominal cavity of large carcasses to prevent build-up of gases and cover carcasses with at least 6 inches of compacted soil. The mortality should be covered with several feet of soil when the trench is at full capacity. Protect the burial site to prevent unauthorized entry and scavenging animals disturbing it. State and local regulations must be followed when using and siting burial trenches. Incineration: Maintain the incinerator to ensure it is operational. Maintain an adequate fuel supply. Do not overload the incinerator. Burn for a sufficient amount of time so the carcass is fully incinerated Rendering: Mortality must be collected regularly. If a pick up is missed, notify your supervisor or the rendering company. Keep the area around the collection bin clean and free from animal parts. Refrigerated storage may be used to reduce odor prior to pick up. All mortality should be screened form public view. For more information about managing mortality to minimize the environmental impact, see the Mortality Management section of these training materials.
- Spilled feed that falls into the manure pit provides a readily available source of nutrients for the bacteria in the manure system that can create additional gas emissions and odors. Routine checking and adjustment of feeders can reduce this problem, and save money. Check and adjust feeders daily. Clean up all feed spills inside and outside the barn as soon as possible. Feed storage management is similarly important Spoiled feed causes odors and is also costly to the operation. Order feed accurately and keep feed bins free from spoiled feed. Check feed storage bins for holes or rust that may allow in moisture . Keep feed bin lids closed.
- Manure is another common odor source. Manure may be stored in deep pits that are emptied occasionally, in shallow pits that are drained weekly, or in shallow pits with flush or scraper systems that clean manure from the pits a number of times a day. If equipment is not working or set up correctly, a buildup of solid manure can emit odor.
- Dust particles can absorb odors and gases from the air in the barn and transport them outside the building through the ventilation system. Dust comes mostly from manure, feed and animal dander. Controlling dust in the farm will help to reduce odor and improve the air quality for animals and their caretakers. Dust management strategies include: All in-All out facilities will be able to reduce dust by thoroughly washing between groups. Scraping manure buildup from aisleways to prevent build up and drying. Keep animal pens clean and dry. Wash/spray down pens and penning if dust builds up Maintain enclosed feed delivery systems. Look for and repair holes in auger lines or drop tubes. Wet feed or pelleted feed may also reduce dust. Sprinkling vegetable oils within the barn can be effective at reducing dust and therefore odor. It can however have disadvantages including slick floors and surfaces, increased cleanup between groups and difficulty handling the oil at lower temperatures.
- Air quality is affected by gas and dust levels – which can be exhausted out of the barn by fans in mechanically ventilated barns or out the tops and sides of naturally ventilated systems. An effective, functioning ventilation system is a vital component of a modern indoor hog farm. The quality of the air in the barn affects the health and productivity of the animals as well as the health of the animal caretakers. Good air quality inside the barn will help reduce odor emissions outside the barn. Routine checks and maintenance on the ventilation system will ensure it’s effectiveness.
- Look for and repair or correct: Broken or missing fan louvers Broken, slipping or loose fan belts Fan motors not operational Bearing noises Excessive dust build up on blades, motors and louvers Holes in curtains Hot surface temps on fan motors (use an infrared thermometer) Safety - keep fan guards in place
- For natural ventilation systems, look for and repair curtain holes and non-operational circulation fans during the summer.
- Signs of a well ventilated barn include: Dry pen floors Low odor in the barn Good air quality in the barn Correct temperature ranges Evenly distributed dunging patterns in open pens Good animal health Lack of negative pressures
- Dust, gases and odorous compounds can be filtered or dispersed to minimize the impact on the area around the farm. Dust particles absorb odor essentially carrying it directly to a person’s nose. By filtering the dust from the air, odor potential can be reduced. Filtration systems can be effective for larger particles but are less effective on very dust particles smaller than10 microns. These smaller dust particles may potentially travel further from the barn and serve as source of odor.
- Bio Filters are generally made of wood chips and are designed to retain the air in the filter for 3 or 4 seconds thereby removing most of the odorous compounds and dust. If they are properly maintained and operated, studies have shown that they may remove up to 90 percent of odor. Some challenges with bio-filters are that they can be quite large, require maintenance and must be installed so they do not interfere with ventilation systems. Rodent control is also necessary. The type of exhaust fan must also considered as it will require more pressure than just exhausting air into the environment. If your farm has bio-filters, you may need to check rodent bait regularly and add moisture to the bio-filter.
- Chimneys exhaust the air vertically into the environment which can allow the plume of potentially odorous air to disperse more quickly. Chimneys must be taller than the roof peak. Fans may be installed in chimneys or chimneys may be built around wall fans in order to direct air upward. Naturally ventilated buildings often use chimneys.
- Windbreak walls are made of plastic and installed a few feet away from the fans with the intention of disrupting the odor plume. The windbreak wall pushes the air upward, helping to mix and dilute the gases and dust.
- Trees or vegetation can be used as a wind break that forces the plume upwards and to dissipate more quickly. These windbreaks or Vegetative Environmental Buffers (VEB) also serve as a screen to somewhat hide the farm from public view which can reduce the perception of odor. Vegetative buffers take years to develop to a height at which they are most effective and care must be taken not to locate them too close to naturally ventilated farms as they may disrupt air flow.
- If your farm is not ideally situated, has close neighbors, limited landscaping or was not well designed, it is even more important for you to follow good practices in and around the barn to minimize odor. Diet and feed additives can also be altered to reduce odor. Nutritionists may be able to adjust the ingredients in the feed formulation to reduce excess nitrogen, sulfur and carbohydrates excreted can mitigate gases and odors from the manure.
- As an animal caretaker, proper responsible management of feed, mortality and the barn ventilation system can help to maintain air quality reduce and odor from the farm.